Where the Heart Is
by celestial-bur
Summary: Harry loses a best friend and a wife in the War, not knowing that one survived and carries a part of the other who died. How will he take it when he finds out? A HarryHermione pairing loosely based on the David Duchovny-Minnie Driver starrer Return to M
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:**  Though we may fantasize about them a lot, none of these characters are ours.  They all belong to the inimitable JK Rowling, much to our chagrin.  We're not making any money out of this either, so nobody sues anybody, a'ight?

**Authors' (yes, plural) Notes:**  This is our first foray into the fabulous world of fanfiction!  Constructive criticism is highly encouraged.  To tell you the truth, we're suffering from HP withdrawal syndrome and this is the only way we know how to cope - aside from reading the books, watching the films, and reading all those magnificent fanfics posted here.

-oOo-

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**Prologue**

The War had begun.

There was hardly time for any preparations.  The mass escape of Death Eaters in Azkaban three nights before, the seemingly senseless attacks on wizards and Muggles, and the assassination attempt on the Minister of Magic forced the Ministry to declare open war.

Reeling from having narrowly escaped another attempt on his life only two days ago, a very pale and heavily guarded Cornelius Fudge finally sought counsel with Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Together with Heads of the Ministry's various departments and Hogwarts' senior faculty, an impromptu war council secretly convened in the Headmaster's office.

Indeed anybody who was in Dumbledore's office that day would have thought they have stumbled into a secret War Room:  a very large map of Wizarding London was quickly conjured up against one wall with blinking red dots marking areas recently attacked by Death Eaters; rolls of parchment lay strewn all over the large table, with charmed quills either furiously scribbling down or scratching out various tactics and stratagems deliberated and vetoed by the council; troops of Wizarding chess pieces were engaged in mock battle on another table.

Emerging from what was probably the longest meeting held in Hogwarts, members of the secret war council rose as one twenty-four hours later: faces grim, jaws set, fists clenched.  It was time to put the plan into action.  Time was the hidden enemy and nobody in the room believed for a moment that they would emerge victorious with what precious little they could afford to prepare. But finally standing united, they have reason to hope.

The mounting terror that spread across Wizarding London in the last five years had significantly reduced the number of students attending Hogwarts. Now that war has been declared, Dumbledore knew he simply could not compromise the safety of his students.  Thus, it was with a heavy heart that he announced the closing of Hogwarts to a very small gathering of students at the Leaving Feast.  It had been a solemn occasion as everyone raised their goblets together for the last time, it seemed - for none knew if they would return - or see each other - ever again.

For indeed, the last five years have also marked an exodus such as never before seen in the Wizarding World.  Some wizarding families (mostly those with Muggle relations) have either evacuated to Muggle districts all over England, or migrated to foreign countries.

Those who remained behind had closed ranks, and quickly responded to the Ministry's urgent call for volunteers.  These witches and wizards have, at one point, either suffered directly or lost their loved ones in the hands of Voldemort and his followers.  After years of living in fear for their lives, they have had enough.  Arriving by Floo, Portkey, or the Knight Bus, a surprisingly large number of magical folk - young and old alike - appeared in the Ministry of Magic, wands clutched and ready to fight.

Harry smoothed out the small slip of parchment he clutched in his hand and ran a finger over the familiar, narrow handwriting: 

**_It is time._**

Dragging his eyes away from the parchment, Harry stared out from the window of the thestral-drawn carriage.  Hogwarts loomed up over the horizon, an imposing black mass of sharp turrets and towers set against the dying day. The sight never failed to awe Harry, no matter how many times he had made this same journey years before.  But now, his awe is slowly being washed away by a wave of dread as the carriage cantered past the magnificent wrought-iron gates and started its uphill climb towards the castle.

The years following Harry's graduation from Hogwarts have been a continuous struggle - both for the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix - to quell the attempts of Voldemort and his supporters to regain power.  But the next attack was always more terrible than the last, the victory to the side of the light so few and far in between.  In spite of this, Harry had taken some comfort with the knowledge that, at least, Hogwarts has remained unperturbed by the world outside its walls - an implacable fortress against the turbulent times.

Until now.  

It has been five years since 22-year-olds Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley graduated from Hogwarts. In those five years, none of them had set foot in the school until this very day, and none of them had expected to come back in such circumstances.  The arrival of the same cryptic message at their doorstep and the declaration of war on the same day three days ago had left very little doubt in their minds about what the message meant.  After a flurry of owls among them, the Trio had agreed to meet in Hogsmeade and make the familiar trek up to Hogwarts together.

"It looks the same from here, doesn't it?" said a voice from one of the three other occupants of the carriage, gently interrupting Harry's musings.  Harry turned his green gaze to the woman seated in front of him and smiled slightly at her wistful tone. 

There are times, such as this, when he would look at Hermione and be somewhat surprised to find such a striking woman looking back at him: paler, thinner, but still possessing the same untamed mane of honey-brown curls.  And yet the years have shadowed her eyes with sadness and pulled down the corners of her mouth with the weight of a barely-spoken tragedy.  After her parents were killed in a car accident a year ago (resulting from what puzzled Muggle authorities called an unexplainable mechanical failure), Hermione had retreated into silence and buried her grief in research work for the Ministry.

"Yeah," agreed Ron, who was sitting beside Hermione. "But I expect they've started adding fortifications to the castle by now."  Like Harry, Ron had entered Auror training after leaving Hogwarts and spent the following years on the field as a double agent for the Ministry and the Order.  At twenty-two, Ron was proving to be a brilliant military strategist and his contribution to the Order in keeping track of alternative weapons and creatures for defense has been invaluable.  

"So it is true, then?  They're planning on attacking Hogwarts next?"  Hermione asked, with a slight tremor in her voice.

"The Aurors who were able to break the intercepted code seemed to think so," confirmed Ron.  "Dumbledore thinks it's only a matter of time before Voldemort would plan something like this.  I mean, they'd be virtually invincible if they manage to get a hold of Hogwarts.  I'd like to see them try, though."

Harry nodded wordlessly at this exchange and tried to mentally shake himself out of his gloomy stupor.  The Wizarding world is teetering in the brink of a war, the outcome of which none could foretell.  Nothing will be achieved if he allowed himself to be overtaken by fear. 

Especially now, Harry thought to himself, as he gently run his other hand through the long dark tresses of his wife, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder through their journey to Hogwarts.  His marriage to Cho early this year has been a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak existence, and it gave Harry a renewed sense of urgency to vanquish Voldemort once and for all.  He swore that no child of his shall ever be born under Voldemort's reign of terror.

Cho stirred and finally woke up as the carriage halted by the front drive.  Straightening up and blinking at Harry she said, "Goodness, we're here all ready?  I didn't even realize I fell asleep."

"I suppose you had a busy night?"  Hermione asked sympathetically.

"Quite busy, yes," Cho said as Harry helped her step down from the carriage.  "There was an emergency at St. Mungo's last night, and I couldn't get away until this morning."  Cho Chang was a certified Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.  She, too, had received a message from Dumbledore, requesting to share her expertise and work alongside Madam Pomfrey in anticipation of what lies ahead.

All four of them were now making their way up the marble steps, then past the heavy oak double doors.  Their footsteps rang hollowly along the corridors, holding a silent welcome into empty hallways that had once echoed loud and youthful chatter.  The smooth, undulating fields are now jagged and pierced with freshly dug trenches and sharpened tree stumps. The open grounds that bore witness to many a Quidditch match have almost disappeared under a multitude of tents housing Aurors, volunteers, and mediwitches. The castle's towering turrets that had once openly pondered the beauty and mystery of the heavens are now guarded and watchful - vigilantly scouring the air and grounds for any suspicious activity.

Back to Hogwarts after five years and Harry felt he'd never been to a stranger place.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One 

The attack came shortly before midnight.  Jets of red light suddenly punctured the darkness of the Forbidden Forest, quickly followed by a swarm of a hundred Death Eaters bursting through the trees, with wands outstretched and bellowing deadly incantations.  With a loud roar in response, Aurors from the front lines sprung quickly up from their hiding in the trenches, blocking most of the spells with conjured shields.

Within moments, the battlefield was alight with a ghastly luminescence as Aurors dueled fiercely with the enemy.  Blasts of red, purple and green flames collided and streaked past; curses flew in different directions as bodies were either hurled ten feet away from their opponents or fell motionless to the ground.

Adding to the din of incessant cries of spells and counter-spells were the howls and screams of pain from the fallen and wounded.  The tumult grew louder as the battle intensified, the night wind carrying the sound across the field and through the castle's inner courtyard like the rumble of thunder, tent flaps quivering in the wind in mute terror.

Harry pulled the tent flap firmly shut, blocking out the melee outside.  He turned and set his steely gaze back to the other occupants of the tent, in whose faces reflected the same tight-lipped grimness as they prepared for battle:  Ron, who was handing out Muggle pistols to the others, advising that these are to be used for disabling, not killing, the enemy; Hermione, who had insisted to join the actual battle ("Honestly, Harry!  Do you really believe that I am less capable than any of you in the team?"), shrinking her satchel of supplies and provisions and slipping it in her robes; the Weasley twins, Fred and George, who were both fastening their robes and lacing their boots while taking turns in dissuading their sister from joining the battle; Ginny, who was completely ignoring her brothers' entreaties, straightening up and tucking her wand in her robes pocket.

"How soon do we leave?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry and pointedly ignoring the twins.

"Any moment now," said Harry.  "We're just waiting for the - "

The tent flap was suddenly flung open.  All heads swiveled in the direction of the entrance as somebody stepped quickly inside.

It was Draco Malfoy.

"They've raised the alarm.  It's time to go."

"Come on," Harry said, looking around the room.  "Where's Neville?"

"Rounding up the thestrals," Ron answered.  "He's just outside."

Harry said, "Let's go.  Remember your positions and always stick by your partner."  He looked at Hermione and said, "Hermione, you're with me, alright?"

"Honestly!  That's the fiftieth time you've reminded me," she huffed in frustration.

Harry ignored the remark and turned to Draco.  "Take care of Ginny."

Draco nodded wordlessly, glancing briefly at the redhead.

Fred raised his wand patriotically.  "Let's kick some Death Eater arse!"

Cho entered the tent as everyone was marching out.  She looked nervously at Harry and said, "Just come back in one piece - and alive, okay?"

Harry strode over to his wife and gently pulled her close.  Giving Cho the best smile he could muster, he said, "We'll be back.  Don't worry," he said reassuringly, though inwards he wasn't so sure if he was comforting his wife or himself.  They held each other quietly for a few moments.

"Just stay here," Harry said finally.  "Flitwick has done at least a hundred charms on this place.  You'll be safe."

"We have to go," Draco said, poking his head inside the tent.

Harry nodded.  Touching his lips briefly on his wife's forehead he whispered, "See you later."

Harry stepped out of the tent and followed Draco.

Ron had thought it more advantageous to use thestrals instead of their brooms.  Fred and George nonetheless insisted on having a broomstick strapped on each thestral for safety precautions.

The team flew swiftly above the battle, dodging spells from Death Eaters below and disabling most of the aerial attackers, thus allowing them to penetrate further into enemy lines.  Draco, Ginny and the twins remained in the air to fight off the remaining attackers while Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville cautiously dismounted on the empty clearing deep within the forest.  

They had barely touched ground when several blasts of green light emitted from behind the trees.  Harry quickly ducked and managed to shove Hermione behind a tree with him, while Ron and Neville dived behind large boulders a few feet to Harry's right.

Crouching low, Harry peered from behind the tree and saw black shapes emerge from the dense foliage on the opposite side of the clearing.  No less than twenty Death Eaters were pouring out from the trees, a swarm of dark robes filling the clearing with dark malice.  Dark robes billowing in sudden movement, the Death Eaters advanced quickly across the clearing, sending torrents of spells and fiery red sparks.

With a curt nod in Ron's direction, Harry made a quick calculation, leaped from behind the tree, aimed his wand and bellowed, "_Reducto!_"  

There was a yell, a loud crunching noise then suddenly, two Death Eaters were knocked unconscious by a very large and heavy branch.  Rolling on the ground once then quickly springing to his feet, Harry raised his wand again and yelled, "_Stupefy!_"  The Death Eater who was running headlong into him froze in mid-sprint, flew backwards and crashed into his comrade. 

Ron had also jumped out of hiding and fired two shots from his pistol, taking down two hooded figures who both screamed in surprise and pain.  Neville, bringing up the rear, had sent a stream of red sparks arching over his head, hitting a Death Eater squarely on the chest who keeled over backwards and landed with a loud thud.  Within moments, the duo was in the midst of the enemy, sending bodies flying in several directions as jets of light from their wands criss-crossed in midair.

Harry was sprinting towards Ron and Neville who were slowly being surrounded by the enemy when another Death Eater lunged at him from behind.  Bending his knees and throwing his whole weight forward, Harry managed to send his attacker tumbling over his shoulder.  With a wave of Harry's wand, the Death Eater suddenly found himself pinned tightly to a tree with thick ropes.  Harry pushed himself off the ground and set off towards Ron and Neville again, blasting attackers left and right. Suddenly, a thin streak of silver light flashed by, grazing his cheek and knocking him sideways.  

"_Petrificus Totalus!_" screamed Hermione, and Harry rolled over on his back in time to see his attacker stiffen with the spell, arms and legs snapping together, and fall forward.  Hermione had joined the fray at a run, elbowing the nearest Death Eater in the face in the process as she jumped out of the tree seconds before it was blasted to splinters. Sending another Death Eater hurling through the air with the force of her spell, she quickly joined Harry's side and drew her pistol from its holster.  In the distance, Ron and Neville had their backs to each other, locked in fierce duels with the masked figures.

For about half an hour, the clearing pulsed with beams of multi-colored lights issuing non-stop from countless wands while Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville ducked, rolled and pelted around the battlefield amid flying bodies and falling branches as they dodged spells and cast their own.

Finally, after securely binding the last Death Eater with an Anti-Disapparation Jinx the five young Phoenixes suddenly found themselves face to face with the senior Death Eaters.  Emerging silently from the dark forest - maskless, gaunt and graying - stood the six of the Inner Circle: Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, and Augustus Rookwood.  

"Well, well...What have we here?" came the cold, familiar drawl of Lucius Malfoy.  "Come to finish us off, children?"

Harry surreptitiously surveyed the sable sky - no sign of Draco and the others yet.  _Play for time_, Harry thought.

"Aren't you getting too old for this Malfoy?"  Harry countered, hand tensing around his wand.

"Think of it as an old man's indulgence for nostalgia," jeered Lucius in an amused tone.  Then in a voice that was almost bored: "Kill whoever takes your fancy, but the Mudblood is mine."

Ron was taking on the Lestrange brothers at the same, his wand in a furious blur while dueling with both.  Then finally taking aim with his pistol, Ron fired a shot and managed to take one of them down.  

Meanwhile, a blast of light emitted from Rookwood's wand aimed directly at Neville.  Neville jumped out of the way, but not before the spell hit his leg, causing him to fall on his stomach.  Ignoring the pain but unable to stand without support, he pulled out his gun and shot the advancing Rookwood on the shoulder who dropped his wand and clutched his arm with a cry of pain.  With a loud roar of "_Incarcerous!_" Neville quickly took advantage of his opponent's weak moment, binding his attacker to the nearest tree with ropes coiling out of thin air.

On the other side of the clearing fought Hermione - her wand in one hand and a gun in the other - and managed to stun Lucius Malfoy, knocking the Death Eater to the ground.  In a whirl of dusty robes she sprinted towards Harry who was fighting off Bellatrix and Dolohov by himself.  Rushing to Harry's aid, she managed to curse Dolohov to unconsciousness and had just roped the frozen Death Eater when - 

"_Expelliarmus!_"

Hermione's wand suddenly flew out of her hand, her eyes widening as she turned her head and found it suddenly in the grip of a sneering Lucius Malfoy who was swaying slightly as he got to his feet.  Almost reflexively, Hermione's hand flew at her pistol as she twisted around and aimed at Lucius who all ready had his wand pointed at her.

Harry had all ready frozen Bellatrix and turned around in time to hear Lucius snarl, "Say goodbye to your Mudblood friend, Potter!"

"HERMIONE!"

There were three loud gunshots and a blast of blinding green light.

Lucius Malfoy screamed in pain.

Hermione Granger disappeared.


End file.
